The Crash of 2009

.by Allen Harthorn, Executive Director, Friends of Butte Creek

Last year will be known as the “Crash of ‘09.” And not the economic collapse we all witnessed. The final summary of the 2009 salmon runs in the Sacramento-San Joaquin basins is in; the numbers are disappointing at best, and an alarming drop from the record low 2008 runs. Despite predictions that 120,000 salmon would return to the Sacramento system in 2009, the reality was that only 39,000 salmon returned and less than 25% were wild fish. Once again, the fishery agencies are trying to put on a cheery face for the future based on the return of two year old fish last year, commonly known as “jacks.” In the past there has been a decent correlation between the number of jacks and the succeeding year’s run. With that in mind, the agencies are tentatively predicting 200,000 fish or more for 2010. We can only hope they are right.

Butte Creek had a marginal run of fish in the midst of this crisis, suffering a drop of 75% from the 2008 run. Only 2,561 fish were estimated to have lived through the summer to spawn in September. Conditions were nearly ideal for spawning, so we can hope that the survival rate of the juveniles will be high. This still represents the largest run of Spring Run Chinook salmon left in the State.

Butte Creek has had a tremendous amount of restoration investment and it shows for the most part. However, low water years, as we have had for the last three years, are very problematic. Two significant fish passage problems near the mouth of Butte Creek in the Sutter Bypass are well known fish killers. Willow Slough diversion at the end of the East Borrow channel has a very long, old style Denil fish ladder that is nearly impossible to pass through for the fish. The two culverts in the diversion next to it are even worse. In low water when fish are holding below this dam, they are in constant danger of human predation. Poachers frequent this area, and hopefully we will catch some with our watchful Creek Observers. Thank you very much to those out there that are looking out for the fish.

Weir 2, which is about five miles above Willow Slough, is also a very old and poorly designed fish ladder. The weir is owned by Department of Water Resources (DWR) and diverts water through an unscreened diversion into the USFWS refuge. In 2009, during the Spring Run migration DWR shifted the flow to the West Barrow Channel and shut down this diversion while stranded spring run salmon languished below. Apparently DWR had to repair a few boards in the ancient flashboard dam and chose the worst time to do it.

The good news is that replacement designs for both Willow Slough and Weir 2 have been engineered, permitted and are awaiting funding. Bids may actually go out this year and some construction could happen before fall. You can check the DWR website for this project.

The other very serious passage problem is right above the Highway 99 bridge, just south of Chico. For three years running, fish have refused to make the last run up to the Durham Mutual Water District dam and have retreated to the best cool water downstream of the bridge. Unfortunately the diversions at Parrott/Phelan diversion and the Durham Mutual dam take more than 65% of the water out of the creek upstream, and the water temperatures soar when we have warm June days. The Department of Fish and Game have been rescuing (see Chico E-R article link below) these stranded fish for two of the three years.

In 2007, more than 200 fish died as no one did anything. Last year, the temperature in the creek reached 80 degrees Fahrenheit two days before they were finally rescued. All 28 fish were tagged with radio receivers by UC Davis researchers and DFG during the rescue. All but two receivers were later recovered; however, none of the fish made it above the Covered Bridge where cooler water may have helped them survive. It is almost certain that none of the fish spawned; most died within a couple weeks. Spending the weekend in bathtub water temperature before the rescue will usually kill any and all salmon. Read the Enterprise Record articles here.

The solution is simple. More water is needed below the dam to facilitate passage. This could easily be accomplished by substituting pumped water from wells in the two districts, Durham Mutual and M&T Ranches, which divert most of the water at Parrott/Phelan dam. Recognizing that pumping groundwater is a sensitive issue in the North State, people need to understand we are far too close to losing these fish to be selfishly using surface water when the fish don’t have enough in the creek. It doesn’t make sense to argue against groundwater pumping for farmers when an endangered species is on the brink of extinction. We can find a way to provide the water for the fish when they need it and still protect the groundwater if we work together and be creative. Groundwater substitution has been used successfully on Deer and Mill creeks for years to provide fish passage by not diverting surface water. Ground water is pumped only when the fish need the water the most.

Aren’t there laws to protect the fish you might ask. Yes, there are laws. They simply are not enforced. Fortunately, the good flows this year should make Willow Slough, Weir 2, and Durham Mutual much more passable. We can’t forget, however, that dry years will return and fish will be stranded again. It is time to seriously and aggressively protect beneficial uses including critical habitat (read “water”) for the endangered Spring Run salmon and steelhead trout. Hoping that the fish will come back on their own is a recipe for extinction. Please support the efforts of Friends of Butte Creek to keep these fish alive and well. Visit www.buttecreek.org for more information.

From the Spring 2010 issue of the Environmental News.